


She Was No Fool

by WitheringFeniks



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Lies, Short One Shot, a look into Ellie's thoughts at the end of the first game, always wanted to write something for the game, pre-last of us part 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24901795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitheringFeniks/pseuds/WitheringFeniks
Summary: "We found the Fireflies. Turns out, there's a whole lot more like you, Ellie. People that are immune. It's a dozen actually. Ain't done a damn bit of good neither. They've actually sto—they've stopped looking for a cure... I'm sorry."Ellie knew Joel was lying.
Relationships: Ellie & Joel (The Last of Us)
Kudos: 20





	She Was No Fool

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to write something for the Last of Us and with the release of The Last of Us Part 2, I thought what better time than this?
> 
> Any mistakes are my own.

Ellie knew Joel was lying.

" _We found the Fireflies. Turns out, there's a whole lot more like you, Ellie. People that are immune. It's a dozen actually. Ain't done a damn bit of good neither. They've actually sto—they've stopped looking for a cure... I'm sorry."_

Ellie knew he was lying the moment he told her.

She might not be the smartest—or the wisest, but Ellie knew Joel was lying. She was no fool.

"— _Turns out, there's a whole lot more like you, Ellie. People that are immune. It's a dozen actually.—"_

His words echoed in her head.

"— _They've stopped looking for a cure... I'm sorry."_

Did they stop because they couldn't find one or because you left them no other option?

Marlene wouldn't have made them travel all this way—half way across the damn country—just to be told there were more like her. That there were more immunes.

It didn't make sense.

So Ellie knew Joel had lied to her.

She wonders— _how many did you kill? Were there any left alive that crossed your path? What happened to Marlene?_

Just a few of the many questions on the tip of her tongue just waiting to be spoke and yet—no words left her mouth. Ellie knew full well Joel would not tell her. He would not admit to what he had done.

Ellie doubted she would ever know all the details of what happened this day.

* * *

Already they were back in Jacksonville and Ellie couldn't stop looking at her scar.

The scar that had caused all this.

If only—

Ellie had regrets. Everybody had regrets. Regrets were _normal_.

(Ellie wished more than ever that Riley was still here. Wished that all those people that had died around her were still alive. Wished that Joel would confess what really happened in the hospital.)

"Looks like we're walking."

The final walk to the settlement was quiet. Joel's voice blending in with the singing birds and rustling of trees in becoming white noise.

_Why won't you tell me?_ She asked silently. _What did you do Joel? Did they really stop searching for a cure? Marlene wasn't one to simply give up._

He hoisted her up and Ellie lingered, watching Joel's back.

She wondered...would he tell her the truth, right now, this instant, if she gave him the chance?

"Hey, wait." She paused, uncertain about what exactly she wanted to say—how exactly she wanted to say it.

Joel turned.

She took a deep breath. "Back in Boston—" she started, it seemed the best place. It was where it all began after all. "Back when I was bitten. I wasn't alone. My best friend was there. And she got bit too." Her eyes stung at the thought of Riley. Ellie knew the thought of her best friend would ease over the years, the pain would lessen but she wasn't there yet. She was allowed to hurt. "We didn't know what to do. So… she says, 'Let's just wait it out. Y'know, we can be all poetic and just lose our minds together.' I'm still waiting for my turn."

"Ellie…" He moved closer, concern creasing his brows but she continued before he could.

"Her name was Riley and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam and Henry."

"None of that is on you." He told her softly. She knew he felt the same pain as her.

"No, you don't understand." Her scar ached in phantom pain. A constant reminder of what she was supposed to be. A reminder of what this entire fucking journey had been about.

"I struggled for a long time with survivin'. And you—no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for." A burst of frustration. "Now, I know that's not what you want to hear right now, but it's—"

"Swear to me." She demanded. "Swear to me that everything that you said about the Fireflies is true."

A beat. A beat in which she saw him pause, never breaking their gaze. He hid it well, but she could see the turmoil.

"I swear."

She watched him, hesitated. Spared a glanced downwards as she tried to collect her thoughts.

He lied.

He wouldn't tell her. Wouldn't tell her what happened in that hospital.

Finally after a long beat, she met his eyes again. "Okay."

Ellie knew Joel was lying.


End file.
